African Fusion August 2019

Apex Welding and Safety Screens

Easy OHS compliance Zero tolerance is being exercised by the Department of Labour towards companies that do not comply with the health and safety regulations stipulated in the Occupa- tional Health and Safety (OHS) Act. Wim Dessing, sales executive of Apex Strip Curtains and Doors, says this is particularly with regard to welding environments.

Apex Welding and Safety Screens are used to cordon off welding and grinding bays. co-workers and supervisors in the im- mediate vicinity. Tested by the SABS for ultra-violet transmittance, conventional materials gave readings of 0.0005%, 0.008% and 5.0% as opposed to Apex readings of 0.005%, 0.001%and 0.005%. Tests for total visible light transmittance demonstrated incontestably that con- ventional materials permit 78% while Apex material allowed only 15.5% light transmittance – a dramatic difference, particularlywhen considering long-term exposure of workers and the consequent repercussions on their eyesight and skin. “Apex Welding and Safety Screens have the added advantage of being impervious to burning,” Dessing says. “This is important because materials can easily come into contact with weld- ing spatter.” Dessing cautions, however, that the welding screens are not intended as a substitute for proper eye protection nor to permit direct viewing of welding arcs at close range. quality is important without breaking the bank. The FEYST registered mark of qual- ity is designed to promote confidence that marked products have been proven in the market to be of good quality while being competitively priced. Ferrogas prides itself on providing in- novative technology and solutions to the industry by being at the forefront of identi- fyingnewproducts available on themarket. One such innovation is theMalwaukee cord- less, rechargeable, battery operatedpower- tool range for markets where productivity and safety are essential. www.ferrogas.co.za

“ W elding and grinding are among the most notori- ous culprits for causing nasty accidents; not only in the imme- diate environment, but in the broader workplace by spreading noxious fumes andendangering the eyesight of those in the immediate vicinity,” explains Apex’s Wim Dessing. He says it is not always feasible to provide solidwall barriers to counter UV radiation and weld spatter, due to cost and practicality, particularly in confined spaces. “Somemanufacturers resort tomake- shift protective structures, erecting wooden or metallic partitions or even hanging opaque canvas sheeting from the ceiling and crossbeams,” Dessing continues.“Noneofthesemeasurescom- plieswith theOHSAct andall fall far short of total worker protection and safety.” TheanswerliesininstallingApexWeld- ing and Safety Screens, which protect workersfromweldspatterandfumes,and fromharmful UV radiation.

Manufactured from a specially for- mulatedPVCmaterial, the ApexWelding and Safety Screens come in various con- figurations to suit a variety of individual requirements. “The most popular ver- sion has a freestanding frame, allowing easy handling and portability,” Dessing says. One of the most important design characteristics of the Apex Welding and Safety Screen is the patented Balledge® design on individual strips, which fa- cilitates easy access for personnel and equipment to cordoned-off areas. “The feet of the screen are angled to allowoptimumutilisationof floor space,” Dessing adds. “And the screens can be butted together at a 900 angle.” These features promote ease of erection, making it simple to set up and arrange the screens in different shapes according to the specific demands of each particular workshop. The screens absorb, scatter and filter the light spectrumto create a saferwork- ing environment for the welder and any

Ferrogas: a seasoned welding supplier Ferrogas is a seasoned industrial supplier for the Middelburg, Emalahleni (Witbank) and surrounding areas, and has 26 years of experience in local gas and welding needs. The company has branches in Em- alahleni and Middelburg. Its main products include industrial and household gas, welding machines, plasma cutters and all related products and spares. Welding wires and electrodes are also available, including specialised products, safety equipment, PPE, tools and powertools, abrasive prod- ucts andpaint, all of whichare held in stock.

Ferrogas also assists in testing andwrit- ingwelding procedures for specific applica- tions. Welding machines can be certified for safe use on sites where certification is required. These certifications include: volt- age reducing devices (VRDs) and measure- ment accuracy and ISO-Standard gauge verification under load. Soon to be launched is Ferrogas’ quality -branded FEYST products that will be avail- able at all stores. Products branded FEYST are proven quality premium products. They will be focused on markets where

22

August 2019

AFRICAN FUSION